I recently had a team ask me if emotional displays were appropriate in the workplace. When I asked them what they meant, they shared with me that one member of their team would sometimes cry when discussing topics that were relevant to her work. I took the time to explore the situation with the person. I concluded that her behavior resulted because some team members didn’t see the issue in the same way or feel as passionately as she did about the situation that was being discussed.

When we consider the appropriateness of emotional displays, the expression of emotion could be placed along a continuum from aggressive or “hot” to passive or “cold.” Obviously when someone begins to shout, demean, or use derogatory terms, the person who is confronted by such behavior will usually respond in two ways: they will respond in kind and meet “hot” emotion with “hot” emotion, or they will completely shut down. And the conversation? The effectiveness of the conversation in the presence of such behavior is severely diminished. People either become derailed, or they choose not to say anything for fear of the consequences. Such behavior negatively impacts others’ ability to communicate. So what happens if others display an emotion such as crying?

Continue to read more:- Managing Emotions in the Workplace